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Q. When September comes, I want my new kindergartener to...

Q. When September comes, I want my new kindergartener to feel comfortable and have a smooth start. Lots of back-to-school advice shows up during the first week of school, but this won't help if there might be some things we should be doing now. What are your suggestions?

A. First, make the most of all the days of summer that are left; this is a special time to be with your child. Some activities will not be as easy to do after school starts. For example, if you want to do some star gazing, do it before "school night" routines begin.

You know your child best. Will your child have a problem adjusting to the new daily routine that school will bring? If he is used to staying up late and "sleeping in," start getting him accustomed to an earlier bedtime and wake up time a week or so before school actually starts. Young children need more time to adjust to these changes than do adults.

If your child will ride a school bus for the first time, remember that she sees the bus as ENORMOUS. Call the school bus garage and set a time to visit, see the buses, and help her practice using those big steps.

Arrange to take your child (and perhaps a fellow kindergarten friend) to visit the school. Most schools are open, getting ready for the first day of school, two weeks beforehand. Visit the room your child will be in, meet the teacher if possible, visit the playground and use the equipment.

Being familiar with these new surroundings will help your child feel more comfortable when school starts. Knowing the teacher's name and what the teacher looks like and seeing you being friendly with the teacher are ways to help your child feel good about school.

When school does start, remember that dealing with changes and new experiences takes a lot of energy. Be sure your child gets 8-10 hours of rest and eats a good breakfast daily. Lay out the clothes, etc., the night before to eliminate anxious rushing. No matter what happens, be sure to send your child off to school each day with a smile and hug.

Another way to smooth the home/school transition is to relax with a snack after school (or after your work day ends) and listen to what your child wants to say. Please don't ask closed questions like, "What did you learn today?" Children learn many things, you will get much more information if you say, "Tell me about your day."

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Evelyn Petersen is an educator and consultant on early childhood and parenting education. You can write at Box 477, Interlochen MI 49643.